Purification of Pomegranate Pericarps (Punica granatum l.) Extracts with Macroporous Resins and Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities In Vivo

Punica granatum L. Pomegranate has been traditionally used as a folk fruits for centuries in Oriental countries. It extract and subsequent fractions were used to evaluate antioxidant and related activities of Punica granatum L. It were extracted by 70% acetone, and then purified by HPD-400 macroporous adsorbent resins column. The aim of this study was to verify the antioxidant properties of acetone extracts of pomegranate pericarps and their lyophilized samples, and also to study the relationship between the activity and the contents of the tannins. The effects of natural extracts on microsomal lipid of mice liver and erythrocyte membrane lipid were examined. Vc/Fe²⁺, Cys/Fe²⁺induced microsomal lipid peroxidation, UV light induced erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation were measured by malondialdehyde (MDA) content with spectrophotometric methods. The natural plant extracts not only diminish the Vc/Fe²⁺,Cys/Fe²⁺ induced microsomal lipid peroxidation, UV light induced erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation and also showed its activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Our study found that the higher tannins contents showed more effective of antioxidant properties. Keywords: Punica granatum L.; liver microsome; antioxidant activity; Lipid peroxidation